Page 125 of Point of Contention

I yelped and we both swiveled our heads to Cabot. His gaze held mine expectantly. One eyebrow quirked up, ever so slightly.

He was amused.

“Have you met you?” I asked.

His lips pursed and his eyes narrowed. “Fair enough.” Turning to my mom, he flashed her the panty-dropper and said, “I like you, too, Marnie.”

She sighed wistfully and I shook my head.

“Easy there, Casanova. Turn that down a notch.” I waved my hand toward Cabot’s gorgeous face. “Trust me, you can only handle one Blake woman driving you crazy.”

Cabot’s eyes flashed with delight and I laughed, settling back into the seat as we drove across town, happier than I’d ever been—with my man, my mom… and my future finally back on track.

Chapter Forty-Two

Rylan

Mid-morning, someone knocked on the door of Blanca’s office and I looked up from the side table and the stack of contracts I was supposed to be studying, grateful for the intrusion. My head pounded, and I’d read the same paragraph a thousand times, unable to grasp the wording with the hangover from hell banging a bunch of drums in my skull.

“Special delivery for a…” Marisa looked at an imaginary note in her hand. “Ms. Blake?” she said, lifting one eyebrow. “Is that you?”

“It is.” I laughed, thankful she and I were on good terms again. The friendship was fragile, her trust in me delicate, so I’d have to tell her about Cabot and me soon. I didn’t think she’d let me get away with keeping this big of a secret a second time.

“It came from upstairs.” She narrowed her gaze as she approached the table, then set the bag down and watched me as she leaned her butt against Blanca’s empty desk.

I bit my lip, then sighed. “We’re back together. I didn’t want anyone to know, but—”

“That worked so well for you last time,” she deadpanned.

“Ahh, right.” I laughed self-consciously. “No secrets?”

She shook her head, waiting.

“I moved in with him?” Grimacing, I braced myself for whatever her reaction might be.

“Shut up!” She pulled out the chair across from me and sat down, leaning forward. “Youlivewith Cabot Reed?”

“Shh.” I flicked my gaze to the open doorway, then Blanca’s empty desk. She wasn’t even in today, butstill. The walls could have ears.

“Rylan,” Marisa growled. “It’s going to get around. You can’t have an office romance with the CEO and keep it a secret.”

“True.” I sighed, tilting my head back.

“What’s his penthouse like? I heard it’s hella swanky.” She paused, then, “Wait, are you, like, in love with him? I mean, moving in together, that’s… pretty huge.”

“It is. And, yes, we are.”

“Wow,” she breathed. “And his place? Swanky?”

“Yes.” I sighed, thinking about Cabot’s penthouse. My new home.

“Ugh. Lucky. Hector’s going to have an aneurism. Cabot’s so fucking hot.”

“Marisa!” I laughed, shaking my head.

“What? He is.” She shrugged. “Like you don’t know.”

“Eloise doesn’t think so. I’m pretty sure she thinks it’s gross.”